Alonzo  durkee



(No Model.) 7

A. DURKEE. PNEUMATIC LEVER EOE MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No. 251,706. ytented Jan. 3,1882

'3 7 T /J r I a a 4 Z K g V l w F i r- 31 I Lain:

22" Q J g m i Z O WITNESS s: INVENTOR:

:- ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES ALonZo nUaKnn, on NEW YORK, n.

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO MOSES HARRIS, OF

SA M E PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,706, dated January 3, 1882. Application filed Aprihfil, 1881 (No model.)

- improved device for receiving the air that is forced, under pressure, from the air reservoir or chest of a wind musical instrument which is mechanically played or controlled by means of one or more strips or sheets of paper or other suitable material perforated to represent the different notes or sounds it is desired to produce and caused to automatically pass over air-ducts,which, accordingly as they are opened by the perforations in the paper that has a valvular action relatively to them, cause the reeds or pipes to be played as required, and to transmit the pressure to the corresponding pallet or valve, which is thereby opened to permit the escape of air from the pressure-chamber to vibrate the reeds or tubes of the instruv ment.

The invention is shown herein as applied to areed-organ; anditeonsists of a block of wood or other suitable material, preferably rectangular, having its center plowed out so as to term a raised rim at its sides and ends, over which rimisdrawnadiaphragm ot'thinleatherloosely drawn to form a bag or sac-and on this diaphragm of leather isglued or otherwise secured for nearly the entire length thereof a taperinglever, of wood or othcrsuitable material, hinged at its wider end to an end of the rim of the said block to insure strength, and being movablefrorn thehinged end. Said block is also provided with an inlet-hole, whereby the ba g or sac is inflated with compressed air, and with a vent for releasing the air as soon as the pressure is removed, so that the said 1ever may rapidly return to its primary closed position. Said vent is closed by a drop-valve that is held closed when the lever is closed up, by an adjustable screw that passes upward through said lever, and is also closed by the introduction of air, under pressure, into the bag or sac until the pressure is removed, when it falls by its own gravity, assisted, it may be, by a spring.

I Figure l is a central vertical section of a por Jtion of a mechanical musicalinstrument with my improved pneumatic diaphragm-lever: applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the lever on line on at, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan of the improved lever. Fig. 4 is a plan of the reverse of the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same on line y y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the accompanyingdrawings, A represents the air-pressure chest of the instrument, set over and upon a perforated music-sheet, B, that is laid upon the action or tube board over the air ducts or tubes or a. Each air dupt. 6 5 or tube a. a communicates at its lower end with the inlet-hole b of one of my improved pneu-. matic diaphragm-levers D, which is glued or otherwise securely attached on the under side"- -of the action-board O, and the compressed air -7o forced from the pressurechest A through the perforations in the music-sheet B, through the air-ducts a, a, expands said levers D, whose motion is transmitted by their push-pins D to the pallets or valves E that are in the pressure-, 75 chamber F, thereby opening said pallets or valves E against the action of their springs E, and permitting the passage of air from said pressure-chamber F through the valve-openings c to operate the reeds G in the reedtubes H.

The pneumatic diaphragm-lever D consists of a block, D, of wood or other suitable material, having its center plowed or recessed out, as shown at d, so as to form a raised rim,f, all around it, and over the rimfis drawn and glued or otherwise secured a diaphragm, g, of" thin leather or other suitable flexible material, which is loosely drawn, so as to form a bag or sac capable of distention and compression. A tapering lever, h, of wood or other suitable material,is glued or otherwise secured on the face of this diaphragm g, reaching from end to end thereof, said lever It being secured or hinged at its wider end It to the rim of the block D, 5 or rather to the diaphragm g, lying upon said rim and having its narrower end movable. Air is received into the pneumatic diaphragmlever D through an inlet-orifice, I), and escapes through the vent or exhaust-orifice Z, beneath 100 which is hinged its vaTve 0a., Through the le verh is passed nadjustablc screw, If, that projects upward, and, bearing against said valve m, holdsitclosed when the airis exhausted from the pneumatic diaphragm-lex'er D, and the lever h is consequently up in its primary position. Ahai-r-wire spring,p, fixed in' some convenient part of the musical instrument, and having its free end entrred through the exhaust-orifice l and pressing on the valve m, supplements the weight of said valve 1, to cause it to fall when the pressure of air within the lever D is removed. A guard or valve-seat, n, for the valve m is secured over the exhaust-orifice l by pins 0 or other convenient device. 1

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim-as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a mechanical wind musical instrument, a pneumatic diaphragm-lever, D, constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of the recessed block D, provided with orifices b and l, and having a raised rim, f, flexible diaphragm g, hinged tapering lever h, provided with valve-closing screw W, and exl'taust-va-lve m, arranged as set forth.

2. In a pneumatic diaphragmdever provided with an exhaust-valve, a screw arranged upon said lever, substantially as described, and adapted to be operated by the valvular action of the diaphragm to close and hold the exhaustvalve, as set forth.

ALONZO DURKEE.

Witnesses:

I. I. S'roRER, O. SEDGWICK. 

